BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Emerging collaborative research from veterinary experts and animal nutritionists at BSM Partners and a veterinary cardiologist at the University of Missouri suggests that blood tests are not a silver bullet solution for diagnosing canine cardiac issues related to nutritional deficiencies.
According to the peer-reviewed study, which appeared in the March 2024 issue of Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutritionthere was no apparent connection between plasma, whole blood, skeletal and cardiac muscle taurine concentrations in the dogs involved.
“This particular research found that blood tests are not a reliable indicator for nutrient levels in the heart,” said Sydney McCauley, Ph.D., board-certified associate animal nutritionist, manager of product innovation at BSM Partners, and co-author of the peer-reviewed article. “We can no longer assume that taurine whole blood and plasma testing, which is commonly used to diagnose canine heart diseases, can accurately tell us what is going on inside the heart.”
The study lasted seven months and involved 33 mixed-breed dogs and 32 beagles fed diets containing varying levels of animal protein (chicken) and grain-based ingredients, including corn, wheat, sorghum, potatoes, pulse ingredients, lentils and yellow peas. The scientists took biopsies of cardiac endomyocardial and skeletal muscle at the beginning and end of the study, and collected blood samples at 30-day intervals.
“Going forward, I think this research indicates that measuring blood levels of taurine and carnitine are not reliable predictors of what is happening in the heart in clinical patients,” said Stacey Leach, DVM, DACVIM, co-author and chief of cardiology and associate teaching professor of cardiology at the Veterinary Health Center of the University of Missouri.
According to BSM Partners, the study involved creating “the largest data set on healthy dogs to date,” which will serve as a useful reference for future clinical research subjects.
“This finding should have a major impact on how dogs with heart issues related to nutritional deficiencies are diagnosed, beginning another chapter in our fields’ ongoing collaborative efforts. to improve the lives of animals,” McCauley added.
Find the full text of the study here.
Read more about research in the pet nutrition space.
